DOCSLIB.ORG

The Structure of a Transformational Character Arc in Spiderman Movie Clips by Jodi Henley

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Structure of a Transformational Character Arc in Spiderman Movie Clips by Jodi Henley The Structure of a Transformational Character Arc in Spiderman Movie Clips by Jodi Henley Sometimes the transformational character arc is a lot easier to see. These are five scenes from Sam Raimi, the same guy who brought you Evil Dead, Xena, Warrior Princess, Hercules, Spiderman, The Grudge, Spartacus Blood and Sand, and American Gothic. This is the inciting incident, or what gets this particular story going (if you can’t access the link, youtube “Peter Parker’s spider bite, the birth of Spiderman”). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cAZ_rbYQSs The spider bite isn’t the first thing that happens in the movie, because to understand Peter’s conflict, we need to understand Peter. Spiderman is a character-driven movie and the story follows Peter’s transformational arc. Peter’s conflict: Peter’s conscious motivation (to make money and impress Mary Jane) is fighting his subconscious motivation (his upbringing) to do the right thing (Uncle Ben—with great power comes great responsibility). Peter is changing, but he doesn’t want to grow up and take responsibility for his actions. His uncle doesn’t know about the bite and they’re not talking about the same thing, but Peter takes his uncle’s lecture as a direct attack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5d6rTQcU2U#t=125 Peter’s black moment: Later, when Peter is ripped off by a shady wrestling promoter, he stands aside while the man is robbed, and during the getaway Uncle Ben is killed. This is the climax that pushes Peter to the breaking point (the death of Uncle Ben). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cm1cEo8SKM Peter changes: (Spiderman out for revenge). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouG3PqGxTmM What changing allows Peter to do: Peter had great power and great responsibility...and he dropped the ball. His actions lead to the death of the man he loved like a father. And it tears him to shreds. This allows Peter to change and take action, telling Mary Jane he doesn’t love her in order to protect her. And he walks away, into his destiny as Spiderman (Spiderman—the end). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5QxUHCKqMU A few thoughts on the inciting incident, exposition, info-dumping and the transformational point In Spiderman, the inciting incident isn’t the first thing on the screen, and it wouldn’t be the first thing we read in a book. We need to understand Peter before the story starts in order to understand his conflict. A story starts when what it’s “about” begins. Spiderman isn’t about some geek kid with a crush on a hot chick. It’s about a geek kid who gets everything he always wanted and has to let it all go to do the right thing. We need to see Peter’s ordinary world before he gets bit by the spider, because if we don’t, we won’t get to see his love for Mary Jane or the way Flash Thompson bullies him. In fiction, making sure a reader understands a character’s ordinary world is called exposition. It’s the portion of the story that explains stuff you need to know in order to understand what’s going on. Sometimes, for purposes of the story, the writer starts with the inciting incident, in which case, exposition would need to be layered in afterwards. Peter’s exposition is both the start of his transformational arc and his specific, focused backstory. Peter’s experiences as a socially awkward geek in love with Mary Jane and bullied by Flash are what made him into the guy who gets bit by a radioactive spider, and the emotions flowing out of his past experiences are what drive him to the point of change. There’s a lot of movie left after Peter’s transformational point, because a transformational point always changes the character so they can do or realize something, and Peter has a lot to do. However, in Peter’s case, his change isn’t complete because he can’t let go of Mary Jane. Mary Jane and Flash are equal motivators, and when the motivation from Flash shrinks (because Peter takes responsibility for his actions and starts to grow up (just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should)), the motivation from Mary Jane expands. The problem is that Spiderman isn’t a romance. Like Will in Good Will Hunting, Peter has to finish his change in order to move on with his life, and his life doesn’t include Mary Jane (the change needs to address the events of the end). So how do we get his change to apply to Mary Jane? By looking at the transformational point; Peter takes responsibility for his actions. That means something needs to happen to put Mary Jane in danger and make pushing her away the only way Peter can protect her. People fight change. Just because Peter takes responsibility for his actions and goes off to use his powers wisely, doesn’t mean everything in his backstory was addressed. Stuff that is not addressed or changed doesn’t go away. The threads containing Mary Jane need resolution. If the story ends at this point (with Spidey deciding to fight crime) it’ll feel like it ended too abruptly. Thanks for checking me out! Jodi If you’re interested in finding out more about me, come talk to me on my blog or facebook. Check out Practical Emotional Structure, or sign up for my once in a blue moon newsletter. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • New Media and Narratology in Cinematic Art James Anthony Ricci University of South Florida, [email protected]
    University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 11-15-2015 Now, We Hear Through a Voice Darkly: New Media and Narratology in Cinematic Art James Anthony Ricci University of South Florida, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the Film and Media Studies Commons Scholar Commons Citation Ricci, James Anthony, "Now, We Hear Through a Voice Darkly: New Media and Narratology in Cinematic Art" (2015). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/6021 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Now, We Hear Through a Voice Darkly: New Media and Narratology in Cinematic Art by James A. Ricci A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of English College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Phillip Sipiora, Ph.D. Margit Grieb, Ph.D. Hunt Hawkins, Ph.D. Victor Peppard, Ph.D. Date of Approval: November 13, 2015 Keywords: New Media, Narratology, Manovich, Bakhtin, Cinema Copyright © 2015, James A. Ricci DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my wife, Ashlea Renée Ricci. Without her unending support, love, and optimism I would have gotten lost during the journey. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I owe many individuals much gratitude for their support and advice throughout the pursuit of my degree.
    [Show full text]
  • Myth, Metatext, Continuity and Cataclysm in Dc Comics’ Crisis on Infinite Earths
    WORLDS WILL LIVE, WORLDS WILL DIE: MYTH, METATEXT, CONTINUITY AND CATACLYSM IN DC COMICS’ CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS Adam C. Murdough A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS August 2006 Committee: Angela Nelson, Advisor Marilyn Motz Jeremy Wallach ii ABSTRACT Angela Nelson, Advisor In 1985-86, DC Comics launched an extensive campaign to revamp and revise its most important superhero characters for a new era. In many cases, this involved streamlining, retouching, or completely overhauling the characters’ fictional back-stories, while similarly renovating the shared fictional context in which their adventures take place, “the DC Universe.” To accomplish this act of revisionist history, DC resorted to a text-based performative gesture, Crisis on Infinite Earths. This thesis analyzes the impact of this singular text and the phenomena it inspired on the comic-book industry and the DC Comics fan community. The first chapter explains the nature and importance of the convention of “continuity” (i.e., intertextual diegetic storytelling, unfolding progressively over time) in superhero comics, identifying superhero fans’ attachment to continuity as a source of reading pleasure and cultural expressivity as the key factor informing the creation of the Crisis on Infinite Earths text. The second chapter consists of an eschatological reading of the text itself, in which it is argued that Crisis on Infinite Earths combines self-reflexive metafiction with the ideologically inflected symbolic language of apocalypse myth to provide DC Comics fans with a textual "rite of transition," to win their acceptance for DC’s mid-1980s project of self- rehistoricization and renewal.
    [Show full text]
  • Character Arcs—What About ‗Em?
    Photo by Riccardo Romano Contents Character arcs—what about ‗em? .................................................................... 3 Starting and ending the character arc .............................................................. 3 Finding the character arc .................................................................................. 4 Shaping character arcs—the middle ................................................................ 6 Micro character arcs in scenes ......................................................................... 7 Micro character arcs in sequels ....................................................................... 8 Are character arcs necessary? .......................................................................... 9 Character arcs and gender .............................................................................. 10 Everything you ever wanted to know about character arcs .......................... 11 Why characters should arc ............................................................................. 11 Finding your character arc ............................................................................. 12 Developing the character arc ......................................................................... 13 Testing out your character arc beginning ....................................................... 14 The middle of the character arc ...................................................................... 14 Ending the character arc ...............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Models of Time Travel
    MODELS OF TIME TRAVEL A COMPARATIVE STUDY USING FILMS Guy Roland Micklethwait A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of The Australian National University July 2012 National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science ANU College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences APPENDIX I: FILMS REVIEWED Each of the following film reviews has been reduced to two pages. The first page of each of each review is objective; it includes factual information about the film and a synopsis not of the plot, but of how temporal phenomena were treated in the plot. The second page of the review is subjective; it includes the genre where I placed the film, my general comments and then a brief discussion about which model of time I felt was being used and why. It finishes with a diagrammatic representation of the timeline used in the film. Note that if a film has only one diagram, it is because the different journeys are using the same model of time in the same way. Sometimes several journeys are made. The present moment on any timeline is always taken at the start point of the first time travel journey, which is placed at the origin of the graph. The blue lines with arrows show where the time traveller’s trip began and ended. They can also be used to show how information is transmitted from one point on the timeline to another. When choosing a model of time for a particular film, I am not looking at what happened in the plot, but rather the type of timeline used in the film to describe the possible outcomes, as opposed to what happened.
    [Show full text]
  • Americanlegionwe236amer.Pdf (3.681Mb)
    L Phil ANt'NT F I ^AMERICAN LEGION m Ao. 36 OCTOBER 1, i COPY I 1920 t-p, _ i*.i t-^-^i i I THE ISSUES I BY SENATOR HARDING AND 1 GOVERNOR COX as§ APACHES, AMERICAN STYLE GRUDGES IN THE PRIZE RING IRELAND ON THE WARPATH OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN LEGION Entered as second-class matter March 24, 1920. at the Post Office at New York, N. T., under Act of March 3. 1879. Price. J2 the year Published weekly by The Legion Publishing Corporation 627 WeBt 43d Street. New York City. Copyright. 1920, by The Legion Publishing Corporation. Net Paid Circulation more than Three-quarters of a Million Copies — These Rugs all full room size, 9 ft.xl2 ft. Very attractive patterns. Brings Splendid Rug Send only one dollar for any one of the four wonderful rug bargains shown above for 30 days' trial in your home. If you are not thoroughly satisfied to keep it, return it to us and we will refund your dollar and pay transportation charges both ways. If you decide to keep rug, take nearly a year to pay. Amazing Rug Bargains It is practically impossible to do justice to these extremely handsome and attractive rugs by mere de- scriptions and cold black and white illustrations such as shown above. That's why we offer to send your choice of any of these four beautiful rugs for 30 days' use in your own home. Read the descriptions care- fully, then make your choice for the 30-day trial test at our risk, Big value in full size 9xl2-foot Ommgrn Af#u *J This is a gold seal "Congoleum" Dmrngm f|fa t "•"5» one-piece Art Rug.
    [Show full text]
  • Plot? What Is Structure?
    Novel Structure What is plot? What is structure? • Plot is a series of interconnected events in which every occurrence has a specific purpose. A plot is all about establishing connections, suggesting causes, and and how they relate to each other. • Structure (also known as narrative structure), is the overall design or layout of your story. Narrative Structure is about both these things: Story Plot • The content of a story • The form used to tell the story • Raw materials of dramatic action • How the story is told and in what as they might be described in order chronological order • About how, and at what stages, • About trying to determine the key the key conflicts are set up and conflicts, main characters, setting resolved and events • “How” and “when” • “Who,” “what,” and “where” Story Answers These Questions 1. Where is the story set? 2. What event starts the story? 3. Who are the main characters? 4. What conflict(s) do they face? What is at stake? 5. What happens to the characters as they face this conflict? 6. What is the outcome of this conflict? 7. What is the ultimate impact on the characters? Plot Answers These Questions 8. How and when is the major conflict in the story set up? 9. How and when are the main characters introduced? 10.How is the story moved along so that the characters must face the central conflict? 11.How and when is the major conflict set up to propel them to its conclusion? 12.How and when does the story resolve most of the major conflicts set up at the outset? Basic Linear Story: Beginning, Middle & End Ancient (335 B.C.)Greek philosopher and scientist, Aristotle said that every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
    [Show full text]
  • Scary Movies at the Cudahy Family Library
    SCARY MOVIES AT THE CUDAHY FAMILY LIBRARY prepared by the staff of the adult services department August, 2004 updated August, 2010 AVP: Alien Vs. Predator - DVD Abandoned - DVD The Abominable Dr. Phibes - VHS, DVD The Addams Family - VHS, DVD Addams Family Values - VHS, DVD Alien Resurrection - VHS Alien 3 - VHS Alien vs. Predator. Requiem - DVD Altered States - VHS American Vampire - DVD An American werewolf in London - VHS, DVD An American Werewolf in Paris - VHS The Amityville Horror - DVD anacondas - DVD Angel Heart - DVD Anna’s Eve - DVD The Ape - DVD The Astronauts Wife - VHS, DVD Attack of the Giant Leeches - VHS, DVD Audrey Rose - VHS Beast from 20,000 Fathoms - DVD Beyond Evil - DVD The Birds - VHS, DVD The Black Cat - VHS Black River - VHS Black X-Mas - DVD Blade - VHS, DVD Blade 2 - VHS Blair Witch Project - VHS, DVD Bless the Child - DVD Blood Bath - DVD Blood Tide - DVD Boogeyman - DVD The Box - DVD Brainwaves - VHS Bram Stoker’s Dracula - VHS, DVD The Brotherhood - VHS Bug - DVD Cabin Fever - DVD Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh - VHS Cape Fear - VHS Carrie - VHS Cat People - VHS The Cell - VHS Children of the Corn - VHS Child’s Play 2 - DVD Child’s Play 3 - DVD Chillers - DVD Chilling Classics, 12 Disc set - DVD Christine - VHS Cloverfield - DVD Collector - DVD Coma - VHS, DVD The Craft - VHS, DVD The Crazies - DVD Crazy as Hell - DVD Creature from the Black Lagoon - VHS Creepshow - DVD Creepshow 3 - DVD The Crimson Rivers - VHS The Crow - DVD The Crow: City of Angels - DVD The Crow: Salvation - VHS Damien, Omen 2 - VHS
    [Show full text]
  • Relationality and Masculinity in Superhero Narratives Kevin Lee Chiat Bachelor of Arts (Communication Studies) with Second Class Honours
    i Being a Superhero is Amazing, Everyone Should Try It: Relationality and Masculinity in Superhero Narratives Kevin Lee Chiat Bachelor of Arts (Communication Studies) with Second Class Honours This thesis is presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of The University of Western Australia School of Humanities 2021 ii THESIS DECLARATION I, Kevin Chiat, certify that: This thesis has been substantially accomplished during enrolment in this degree. This thesis does not contain material which has been submitted for the award of any other degree or diploma in my name, in any university or other tertiary institution. In the future, no part of this thesis will be used in a submission in my name, for any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution without the prior approval of The University of Western Australia and where applicable, any partner institution responsible for the joint-award of this degree. This thesis does not contain any material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. This thesis does not violate or infringe any copyright, trademark, patent, or other rights whatsoever of any person. This thesis does not contain work that I have published, nor work under review for publication. Signature Date: 17/12/2020 ii iii ABSTRACT Since the development of the superhero genre in the late 1930s it has been a contentious area of cultural discourse, particularly concerning its depictions of gender politics. A major critique of the genre is that it simply represents an adolescent male power fantasy; and presents a world view that valorises masculinist individualism.
    [Show full text]
  • The Narrative Structure Booklet
    ACT 1 The opening of a narrative typically establishes characters, setting, themes and engages the audience. It features a catalyst that sends the character on their journey. By the end of the Act 1, the main character reaches a turning point where they commit to the action. o Establishing genre and tone. The opening of a narrative plays an important role in establishing genre and tone. When filmmakers establish genre, they enter into a contract with the audience. If a narrative doesn’t deliver on the promise of genre, the audience will be dissatisfied and disappointed. In a horror film, for example, expects suspense, a few scares and a hefty dose of gore. Anyone who has ever seen a film that is too formulaic or cliched will understand how tedious slavishly following genre conventions can be. o Establishing character. All stories are about a character trying to achieve a goal. Narratives always establish characters – their traits, motivation and goals – within the first act. To become involved in a story, the audience needs to know who the characters are and what they want. Establishing character also means establishing their flaws. Characters always change. Screenwriters often refer to this change as a ‘character arc’. As noted in Writing Movies: “Another mark of protagnoists is their ability change. In pursuing their goals, protagonists meet obstacles that force them to adjust and adapt and, in turn, they grow or transform in some way. This progression is called an arc.” o Establishing setting. The first act of a narrative also establishes the setting. The setting is where the narrative unfolds.
    [Show full text]
  • Activision Ships Over Two Million Units of Spider-Man 2TM Video Game
    Activision Ships Over Two Million Units Of Spider-Man 2TM Video Game Santa Monica, CA - July 7, 2004 - Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today that the company's North American Publishing unit has shipped more than two million units of its Spider-Man 2™ video game timed to the theatrical release of Sony Pictures Entertainment's Columbia Pictures Spider-Man® 2. The game, which is currently available at retail stores, lets players experience what it's like to be the world's most celebrated Super Hero as they web sling from buildings, dive from rooftops to the streets and scale the heights of Manhattan, a living breathing city complete with pedestrians, traffic, trains and helicopters. Gamers can re-live the film's storyline or embark on exclusive game missions as they perform heroic deeds, protect citizens from random crimes, and face off against the nefarious Doc Ock and other Marvel super-villains. Spider-Man 2 for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft and Nintendo GameCube™ carry a "T" (Teen with violence) rating by the ESRB and the Game Boy® Advance and PC versions carry an "E" (Everyone with violence) rating. In Columbia Pictures' Spider-Man 2, two years have passed since Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) walked away from his longtime love Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and decided to take the road to responsibility as Spider-Man. Peter must face new challenges as he struggles to cope with "the gift and the curse" of his powers while balancing his dual identities as the elusive superhero Spider-Man and life as a college student.
    [Show full text]
  • Dp Guide Lite Us
    Dreamcast USA Digital Press GB I GB I GB I 102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Re R1 Dinosaur (Disney's)/Ubi Soft R4 Kao The Kangaroo/Titus R4 18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker R1 Donald Duck Goin' Quackers (Disn R2 King of Fighters Dream Match, The R3 4 Wheel Thunder/Midway R2 Draconus: Cult of the Wyrm/Crave R2 King of Fighters Evolution, The/Ag R3 4x4 Evolution/GOD R2 Dragon Riders: Chronicles of Pern/ R4 KISS Psycho Circus: The Nightmar R1 AeroWings/Crave R4 Dreamcast Generator Vol. 01/Sega R0 Last Blade 2, The: Heart of the Sa R3 AeroWings 2: Airstrike/Crave R4 Dreamcast Generator Vol. 02/Sega R0 Looney Toons Space Race/Infogra R2 Air Force Delta/Konami R2 Ducati World Racing Challenge/Acc R4 MagForce Racing/Crave R2 Alien Front Online/Sega R2 Dynamite Cop/Sega R1 Magical Racing Tour (Walt Disney R2 Alone In The Dark: The New Night R2 Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the R2 Maken X/Sega R1 Armada/Metro3D R2 ECW Anarchy Rulez!/Acclaim R2 Mars Matrix/Capcom R3 Army Men: Sarge's Heroes/Midway R2 ECW Hardcore Revolution/Acclaim R1 Marvel vs. Capcom/Capcom R2 Atari Anniversary Edition/Infogram R2 Elemental Gimmick Gear/Vatical R1 Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age Of R2 Bang! Gunship Elite/RedStorm R3 ESPN International Track and Field R3 Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX/Activision R4 Bangai-o/Crave R4 ESPN NBA 2 Night/Konami R2 Max Steel/Mattel Interact R2 bleemcast! Gran Turismo 2/bleem R3 Evil Dead: Hail to the King/T*HQ R3 Maximum Pool (Sierra Sports)/Sier R2 bleemcast! Metal Gear Solid/bleem R2 Evolution 2: Far
    [Show full text]
  • Creep Through the Decades Legend Has It: Denton’S Retro Cult Classics for Your Halloween Watchlist Haunted History
    Thursday, October 31, 2019 Vol. 106, No. 3 TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY Your student newspaper since 1914 Never A Dull Moment N THIS ISSUE HAUNTINGS | CAMP OAKLEY I : How to craft a last minute costume 7 Boo at the U: photo set 3 An introvert’s guide to the perfect HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Halloween night in 7 Graphic by Angelica Monsour. SCARES | HALLOWEEN MOVIES HAUNTS | LOCAL LEGENDS Creep through the decades Legend has it: Denton’s Retro cult classics for your Halloween watchlist haunted history By AMBER GAUDET By ALYSSA WALKER with one of his workers. The work- er was charged with murder, but o October is complete without very town has stories eventually was found not guilty. Na good Halloween movie binge- Eoriginating from years There have been rumors of fest. Even if you’re not into horror, ago that have changed over footsteps and moans being heard the last few decades have offered time, morphing into unset- from the upstairs bedroom, a face plenty of spooky favorites to satisfy tling legends that haunt locals that appears in the attic window your craving for Halloween nostalgia. — and Denton is no exception. and a photograph with eyes that 1970s There are some stories that ev- follow you everywhere you walk. In the aftermath of the Manson family ery Dentonite has explored or at The police have even been called killings, the midst of the Vietnam War, least heard of, like the Old Goat- after employees were spooked by and the scandal of Watergate, the ‘70s were man’s Bridge or the purple door on sounds in the house.
    [Show full text]